Google is also testing the waters, but Nexus Player is not the savior of Android game consoles

Just when people were scrambling to get iPhone 6, buying iPhone 6, and waiting for iPhone 6, the collective iteration of Google's own Nexus series of products finally, to a certain extent, shifted the industry's attention towards the Android camp.

Of course, Google's product updates this time are also significant enough. In addition to the much-anticipated Nexus 6 mobile phone and Nexus 9 tablet, following Google TV, Nexus Q and Chromecast, Google has also added another smart terminal for the living room, the Nexus Player.

Nexus Player is a smart box developed by Google and manufactured by ASUS. It has a compact appearance and parameters. It has a built-in 1.8GHz Intel Atom quad-core CPU and PowerVR Rogue G6430 GPU, 1GB of RAM, an HDMI interface and supports WiFi networking. It is the first Android TV device built based on the Android L system.

From the perspective of a TV box, in terms of performance, the Nexus Player will not leave any regrets for users. In addition to the Nexus Player console priced at $99, users can also spend $40 to purchase a controller for operating games. This seems to show us that Google itself is also going to take charge of the Android game console.

At this stage, when talking about Android game consoles, many players are always afraid of them. A large number of mobile game ported works fail to arouse users' interest. The operation mode has shifted from screen touch to game controller, and it is inevitable to encounter various compatibility issues.

Will Google's own Nexus Player improve the situation? It doesn't look optimistic either.

First of all, the newly launched Android TV devices also face the problem of lack of applications.

According to foreign media reports, the biggest problem with Nexus Player is the lack of application support. Currently, mainstream streaming applications such as HBO Go, Amazon Instant and Spotify do not support this device. In contrast, Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV support a large number of native applications at the same time as they are released.

Currently, the biggest use of Nexus Player is still to use Google's Cast technology to achieve functions similar to Chromecast, which is to stream content to the TV by accessing applications on mobile phones or tablets. However, unlike Chromecast, Android TV will have a more complete screen interface, and Nexus Player also has a more complete system. As a medium between mobile devices and TV screens, it is obviously a bit of a waste of resources. As for game-related projects, judging from the current situation, the waiting time is even longer.

In addition, although Nexus Player is a product with pure blood and appears as a leader, it does not show us what is special about Android TV or Nexus Player itself.

The characteristic of Android ecosystem is openness. Nexus Player itself does not have any exclusive software or hardware features. In fact, compared with previously existing TV boxes or Android game consoles, there is a certain reduction in interface types and network connection forms.

As for the exclusive game controller, Nexus Player also cannot escape the routine of imitating traditional game consoles, integrating the design ideas of Sony PiayStation and Microsoft Xbox. From this point of view, we cannot have too high expectations on how much unique gaming experience Nexus Player or Android TV platform can bring to users.

Therefore, the significance of Google Nexus Player to Android game consoles is like the role played by Apple Watch in the smartwatch industry. Yes, industry giants are beginning to take an interest in new areas, but Apple is not yet clear whether smartwatches should be a substitute for mobile phones or an accessory. Intuitively, Google's Nexus Player is just a product that follows the crowd in terms of product form.

Fortunately, Nexus Player still retains the most basic attributes of Nexus products and has become a test field and display carrier for the new product Android TV. However, the game controller and the "Player" in the name can only be regarded as a "smokescreen" used by Google. It is difficult to say that Nexus Player has any outstanding gaming functions, and it cannot bring much directional guidance to the Android game console industry, which is still underdeveloped.

The Nexus Player isn't the savior of Android gaming consoles, at least not yet.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.