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Sony Bringing Google TV to Europe

Sony is set to begin selling Google TV-based products in Europe in September, according to Paris-based financial magazine Les Echos. Sony France marketing director Stephane Labrousse states that the c...
Sony Bringing Google TV to Europe
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  • Sony is set to begin selling Google TV-based products in Europe in September, according to Paris-based financial magazine Les Echos.

    Sony France marketing director Stephane Labrousse states that the company will sell two devices – a receiver that will go on sale for $266, and another with a bundled Blu-ray player that will go for $399. The French launch has been confirmed, and there’s speculation that Spain, Germany and the U.K. will follow suit.

    It has also been rumored that the new Sony receiver boxes will feature the Google Play button on the remote controls, giving users direct access to Google’s app and content store. Sony’s own content offerings will also come with the service, including Music Unlimited.

    Though Google TV has so far only been available in the U.S., Sony had stated at CES that it would make its Google devices available internationally in 2012. But now, the timeline has been officially established, though one might point out that that the European list prices of the devices might seem a bit high. A comparable U.S. Sony Google TV box with Blu-ray runs for $299. Google ran into some problems trying to sell its first batch of Google TV consoles in the U.S. because many consumers thought it was too expensive, which appears to be the same sort of thing that might happen at launch in Europe.

    Second generation Google TV devices, which are set to go on sale in the U.S. this year, are built with ARM chips instead of Intel processors, by manufacturers including Sony, Samsung, LG and Vizio. The ARM chips are meant to bring prices down considerably – but if the new prices in France are any indication, the new chips won’t do much to affect price points.

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