Google is allegedly building a game console
If Google builds a game console, code named Yeti, as The Information has speculated and half a zillion others have echoed, it would be the fifth major game console in the market (after Sony PS4, Microsoft Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and Ataribox), the question is will the company use AMD as 75% of the other console makers are, or be true to its Android partner Qualcomm even though Qualcomm has moved in with the enemy to launch a Window always on PC?
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Logic would dictate Google go with Qualcomm, especial in view of the two companies’ cooperation on VR headsets. The company is developing a subscription-based game streaming service that could work either on Google’s Chromecast or possibly a Google-made console still being developed and code named Yeti.
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The idea of using a smart TV with a streaming service to play games isn’t new. Nvidia has similar solution with its Shield and its USB-c sidecar. There’s also offerings from smaller firms such as such as GameFly, Liquid Sky, andParsec.
The Nexus Q glowing orb, which was cool, was a great example of the pitfalls of hardware design for any company, big or small. The TI OMAP4460 powered Nexus Q, the famous little Death Star introduced in 2012 at Google I/O which was designed to throw content from the Android device to the TV, came out to absolutely no demand with that price tag of $299 and slunk off. A short year later, the tiny little Chromecast arrived for $100 which did roughly the same thing via Chrome, and flew off the shelves.
So in 2012 Google tried again with the Nexus Player co-developed by Google, Intel and Asus which used an Intel Atom processor to power it. May 24, 2016, Google discontinued direct sales of the Nexus Player.
No one has seen a Yeti, so we’ll all be looking forward to that sight.