Google delays TV-set offerings: Report

Google Inc has asked some television-set makers to delay the launch of TV sets based on the internet company's software, says a media report.

"Google Inc is asking some TV-set makers to put off announcing hardware based on the internet company's software," The Wall Street Journal reported citing a source.

The report noted that Google sent out a note to some hardware makers last week, asking them not to announce additional products yet.

The delay may allow the company to improve its software while possibly trying to address other problems the Google TV effort faces.

Despite the challenges, Japanese firm Samsung Electronics Co would go ahead with its launch of Google TV products at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in early January, the report said citing a source.

The initial Google TV devices are offered by Sony Corp and Logitech International SA. According to the publication, representatives of Google could not immediately be reached.

The quest to marry the Internet and television has been going on for more than a decade. Most of the offerings to reach the living room so far provide a small selection of specially formatted content, from providers such as Netflix Inc.

Google has taken a different strategy, trying to offer TV watchers all the content from the Internet that PC users can view.