Google (GOOGL) Expected to Debut New Android TV Platform at I/O 2014 (AMZN) (AAPL)

Google (Nasdaq: GOOG)(Nasdaq: GOOGL) is planning to unveil a new set-top box (STB) on Wednesday as its I/O 2014 conference gets underway.

The WSJ noted that the Google STB will resemble products from such names as Roku, Amazon's (Nasdaq: AMZN) Fire TV, and Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL) Apple TV. The device will also be powered by the Android TV platform and users will be able to control the device using an Android-powered smartphone or tablet, and potential a slew of other devices as well.

While Google's STB will be branded by another company, the move suggests that the company will utilize a similar strategy as it did with mobile devices: offering free software to developers and device makers.

The Android TV pitch is expected to focus on video games, which have been a hot topic as of late with the recent introduction of two new gaming systems (Sony's PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One), not to mention Steam coming out with its own streaming video game machine this year and King Entertainment running its own IPO following the success of Candy Crush.

Shares of Google are modestly lower early Wednesday.

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