Download!Download Point responsive WP Theme for FREE!

Returns of Google TV Were Higher Than Sales–Google Still Wins

It was October of 2010 when Simmons unboxed his Google TV based Logitech Revue enthusiastically. Guess who hasn’t been so happy? Logitech shareholders. Read this slowly “Sales of Logitech Revue  were slightly negative during the quarter, as returns of the product were higher than the very modest sales.” I know, you have to think about it but yeah, that’s some weak sauce right there, right?

But guess what? Google doesn’t care that it failed. Really. It’s not that they didn’t want a successful product but if you watch Google you know they’re king of the beta. That’s what they do. They release things as soon when they’re somewhat ready for mass consumption. They don’t want to polish it. They want to be the first and start to be known so that by the time their competitors come around they’re already on v2. We tend to think of this in the software\web realm because that’s where they used to live but the same is true when we get Google driven hardware. The first Android phones had fine sales but not phenomenal. No problems though. Just move on to Cupcake and Donut and move on. And they did. And Android Tablets are doing ok. Not great – just fine for now but relative to the iPad it’s still not there. Ok so Honeycomb is having lackluster reviews. No problem – Ice Cream Sandwich is coming to save the day. And Chrome (or Chromium or whatever) – they know they’re not going to sell those things in their current state. They know it and we know it. Don’t worry, that’s not the end product.

Google doesn’t make 1st gen hits. They don’t intend to though so don’t knock it. They release a beta, their base buys it and while you beta testers send them feedback they improve it while other companies are trying to do the same thing in their offices and without all of that free market research. Just learn to accept their game…

34 Comments