Android Market not available on Google TV devices this year Tweet

The Logitech Revue is a big reason to get excited about Google TV, but Android fans may be disappointed with the service this year. Something we completely failed to report during the Google TV announcement was the fact that Android Market will not be available on any of the devices planned to launch this fall.

Not only will the Android Market not be included, but Android application downloads from a URL will not be officially supported. Only pre-installed applications will be available when Google TV launches.

So what is the hold up? Google wants to allow developers adequate time to test their apps so that users enjoy the best possible experience. The Google TV SDK add-on will not be available till early 2011 and then Google will roll out the Market through a future over-the-air upgrade.

It’s not clear if Google will outright block manual installation of Android apk files, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they do. I’m sure hackers will fall in love with these devices, but Google does not plan to release the source code for Google TV till sometime next year so it could be a difficult road.

If you were expecting the Android Market on your TV this year, does this news affect your buying decision at all?

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