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YouTube's 'Leanback' Wants to Friend Your Television Remote

Google didn’t mention set-top boxes in Wednesday night’s announcement of YouTube Leanback, a beta version of the site designed to be viewed passively — as in couch potato — rather than actively — as in computer nerd. But clearly, YouTube has your TV set in mind with this high-definition version of the service, designed for […]
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Google didn't mention set-top boxes in Wednesday night's announcement of YouTube Leanback, a beta version of the site designed to be viewed passively -- as in couch potato -- rather than actively -- as in computer nerd. But clearly, YouTube has your TV set in mind with this high-definition version of the service, designed for use with any remote control.

The YouTube Leanback beta works with a regular QWERTY computer keyboard, but other than the search function, the interface uses only five buttons: the arrow keys and the enter key. You may not even find yourself wanting to search the service at all, because it links up with your YouTube subscriptions and videos your friends have recently shared on Facebook, in addition to a wide selection of categories, in which case those five buttons are all you need to use it.

The television remote, that quintessential component of the lean-back viewing experience, includes the same five buttons, of course. This YouTube Leanback Beta works with your computer now, but when it emerges from beta it could provide the backbone of a Google TV version for couch potatoes who want to keep their cable or satellite provider and use the same remote. YouTube and Dish Networks were reportedly testing an Android-based satellite television set-top box earlier this year.

As online video tries to stake its claim in the living room -- and with a library and dedicated suppliers no broadcaster can rival -- YouTube is wise to re-position itself as the most interactive, comprehensive television channel around, serving up content to the same audience who stocks it with cost-free videos, in the place where they still tend to watch the most.

Google has been down this road to the television set before, with YouTube XL. But this slicker version would make even more sense in conjunction with a regular remote, paving the way for potential partnerships with cable and satellite television companies -- assuming they can learn to see it as a valuable add-on, rather than a threat to their bread-and-butter long-form programs. YouTube Leanback would also present a natural interface for Google's own television set-top box.

Incidentally, YouTube Leanback runs on Adobe Flash, which is good news for Adobe following Apple's rejection of the technology (but bad news for iPad owners who'd like to check out Leanback).

Speaking of which, YouTube made another YouTube announcement last night, unveiling a new HTML5 mobile version of the service that essentially turns the Apple iPhone into a Google Android phone where m.youtube.com is concerned. Google's television set-top box can use an Android phone as a remote control, so this is a sign that it might work with an iPhone OS device as a remote too.

Back to Google TV, which would work with a television remote. Now, the question now is: Which cable or satellite company will be brave enough to integrate it into their set-top box?

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