France’s Free reportedly eyeing Android set-top

Free’s existing Freebox Révolution set-top and gateway.

French internet service provider Free is reportedly planning to launch an Android TV-powered set-top box in 2015.

French, Android-focused tech news site, FrAndroid reported that Free’s Freebox V7 will run on the Android TV technology that Google unveiled at its I/O developers conference last year.

The launch of an Android-based device to complement Free’s existing boxes would enable the operator to compete with rivals that have already embraced Google’s OS.

French rival Bouygues is planning to launch a new set-top/gateway based on Google’s Android platform, with a release slated for October. Bouygues’ Project Miami Android-based platform is being developed in collaboration with Ericsson, with content security provided by Verimatrix.

SFR is meanwhile has launched an Android-based box incorporating access to Google Play, aimed primarily at OTT customers that can’t receive its legacy IPTV service over ADSL.